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1
Marinate the Pork
1 Hour (Mostly Hands-Off)
Fridge, 4°C (39°F)
Mix the pork cubes with the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper until every piece is coated. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, turning the meat once halfway through so every cube sits in the marinade.
One hour is the minimum; overnight is better. Do not marinate longer than 24 hours, or the lemon juice starts to toughen the outside of the meat.
Done when: Meat is evenly coated and smells of lemon and oregano; the marinade has loosened, not pooled.
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2
Make the Salad
10 Mins
Room temperature
Toss the chopped tomatoes, red onion, cucumber, shredded cabbage and parsley together in a bowl with a pinch of salt. Set aside at room temperature while you grill — the salad goes into the pitta raw and crisp.
Shred the cabbage as finely as you can; thick shreds make the pitta hard to fold and eat.
Done when: Salad is mixed, colourful and crisp, with no pooling liquid at the bottom of the bowl.
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3
Thread the Skewers
5 Mins
Room temperature
If you use wooden skewers, soak them in cold water for 30 minutes first. Thread 4–5 pork cubes onto each skewer, pushing them close together so they touch, with a little space at each end to hold the skewer. You should get 8 skewers.
Cubes that touch stay juicy; cubes spaced apart dry out. Flat metal skewers are best because the meat cannot spin when you turn them.
Done when: Skewers are full, cubes touching, with no gaps where heat can dry the meat out.
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4
Light the Grill
20 Mins
Coals at ~230°C (450°F), no flames
Light natural charcoal in the barbecue and let it burn down until the coals are covered in white ash and there are no flames — about 20 minutes. Spread the coals in an even layer; the skewers should sit about 10–12 cm (4–5 in) above them.
Never grill over flames: the outside burns while the inside stays raw. Wait for white ash, then cook.
Done when: Coals glow red under a coat of white ash, with steady heat and no leaping flames.
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5
Grill the Skewers
12 Mins
Hot coals, ~200–230°C (400–450°F)
Lay the skewers over the coals and grill for 10–12 minutes, turning every 2–3 minutes so all sides brown evenly. The pork is done when the outside is deeply browned and charred at the edges and the centre of the thickest cube reaches at least 63°C (145°F). Rest the skewers for 3 minutes.
Do not press the meat down — that squeezes out the juices. Let the heat and the turning do the work.
Done when: Outside charred at the edges, inside juicy with no raw pink centre; a thermometer reads at least 63°C (145°F) in the thickest cube.
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6
Warm the Pitta & Serve
5 Mins
Warm coals or a hot pan
Warm each pitta for 30 seconds a side on the edge of the grill or in a hot dry pan, until soft and pliable but not crisp. Cut a slit along one side to open the pocket, slide the pork off two skewers into each pitta, pile in the salad, and finish with a squeeze of lemon.
Warm the pittas at the last minute — a cold pitta cracks when you fold it, and a crisp one shatters.
Done when: Pitta is warm, soft and foldable; the pocket holds meat and salad without tearing.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Slide the pork off the skewers straight into the warm pitta pockets, pile in the salad, squeeze over the lemon wedges and eat at once, while the bread is still soft and the meat is hot.
Cyprus
1h 25m
France
Vietnam